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With this in mind, Nimbin-based company Terraeden Biotecture has come up with a solution to make building a home easier - get as many people as possible to help.

The company's unique attitude toward building sees participants physically build an "Earthship" home through community workshops.

Over the course of the build, participants learn practical skills and theory about things such as permaculture and law.

Terraeden design facilitator Duuvy Jester said he could come up with a design for any home based on a client's budget.

"Not everyone can afford the labour costs, so the people who are coming to do the build get a reasonably priced education that gives them real skills and the people building the house get their labour cost cut out," Mr Jester said.

Terraeden not only promotes education, but it also aims to create environmental sustainability with each home being built out of natural and recycled materials, fitted with renewable energy systems, thermal solar heating and the ability to harvest rain water.

"Our houses work with six different systems to create a house that works in a similar way to the human body," Mr Jester said.

Another big priority for Terraeden is encouraging the builders to work in collaboration.

"Those that are involved in the building process become part of a learning community and learn how much of a big responsibility it is to build a house," Mr Jester said.

"Building a house is an entire experience and it's about pulling people out from the cities and giving them exposure to what it's like to live temporarily in the community where you're only answerable to each other."

Mr Jester said Terraeden worked on each project with a "holistic approach".

"We consider everything from humour to nutrition to community to practical building and life skills and build a house that would still work if all the power went out tomorrow," Mr Jester said.

There is one Earthship home in Nimbin and there are three more set to be built in 2014.